Contradictions of a Nonbeliever
by Izabella's Jacked
Summary: She didn't care because it was insagnificant to her. She didn't bother because a life of displeasures takes away compassion. She didn't love because it never crossed her mind. And now, when she'd finally found happiness... it just wasn't meant to be.


**Contraddizioni di un Nonbeliever – Chapter 1**

"_And in other news, a highly wanted bank robber was caught escaping into a nearby building. Police have surrounded the perimeter and are-" _Click. "_-steam? That's what you want to signal you that it's cooked. Mmm, smells deliciou-" _Click. _"¡Oo! ¡Y él va abajo! Ahora hay solamente tres contestants a la izquierda, y son todos que continúan al final-"_ Click.

"Ugh," Sakura groaned, tapping the orange 'power' button with her heel. Her body felt stiff and groggy as it twisted with the littlest movements. She shook her head, normally it would take only a few seconds for her to adjust, but today she felt like the ultimate piece of crap… that apparently still fully intended on getting her hinges back in working order. Sakura rolled her shoulders (gently) and moved her ankles around, eyes narrowed in concentration. The next to unwind were her wrists and neck that relaxed almost instantly with her spine. Many inward whimpers were hushed and it took a total of ten minutes to lighten up her upper body; the lower was a something else entirely. Nonetheless, she was a stubborn mule when it came to things like this and finally, after half an hour of basic stretches, her body gave in and she literally acted like the aches never happened. She reached her arms above her head and muffled a dazed yawn, purposely kicking the remote off the armrest.

Sakura shook her head and pushed herself into a sitting position. This scene wasn't unfamiliar- in fact, to her it was some obvious and annoying déjà vu –and she noted that she had too much time to kill. Indifferently crooking her head left to look out the frost covered window, her eyes met with a close-to-no-light morning sky. She sighed. It was days like these that made her uneasy and somewhere inside she could sense a deep apprehension, but she nonchalantly dismissed it as boredom. You see, whenever there was an important arrangement scheduled, she could never seem to drag herself out of bed. Completely opposite, when there was absolutely nothing to do, her tired carcass magically pulls itself up and over to the couch at the most ungodly hours; that being how she ended up here. Sakura moaned unladylike and scuffled towards the kitchen counter, taps of her bare feet hidden behind the low rumble of the heater. Her stomach growled out and sent waves of hunger down her spine. She opened her refrigerator and glowered at the sight of empty white shelves. How the hell could she have forgotten to go grocery shopping, again? There wasn't anything left but a half full water bottle, mustard and aged cheese. Sakura's scowl darkened as she inspected the window's glass again; no way she was going to step out in that frozen wonderland of shit, and she meant that with every fiber of her being. Her belly roared again, becoming louder with every bellow, and her eyes drifted back downwards. Scratch that, maybe she wouldn't have to leave anywhere after all. Thankfully her cravings begged for peanut butter more than anything else. Unconsciously Sakura marveled at how she could produce such demanding hunger fits at random, but didn't question it any farther.

She walked towards the cherry cabinets and opened them, officially declaring it a high priority mission, like a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Slams of open cupboards mixed in with a few frustrated swears until, there it sat, at the very top shelf, practically basking in its own glory. Sakura licked her lips and transferred her weight to the balls of her feet, reaching up on her tippy-toes. With a curt inhale, the plastic jar was grasped firmly in her delicate hands, and she smiled to herself on her accomplishment. But it was soon replaced with a slight grimace as she peered into the empty container. Nothing but the smeared leftovers and the old crust on the top remained. _'Shit, I really don't wanna go outside. I'll fuckin' turn into a Sakura-sicle.' _She was about to give up and suffer but her damned of a stomach insisted painfully that they find some more. Sakura groaned screwing her eyes shut and bent over in anguish. It was like her menstruation all over again! A few minutes went by as she cried silently, making no move to stand, and the cramps subsided little by little into a faint ache, allowing its owner to finish with an indifferent ignorance to it. She heaved a displeased sigh and carelessly tossed the forgotten bottle into her stained sink and made her way to the front. Fine! Appetite wins over reason.

Her door, oddly enough, was actually Sakura's favorite aspect of her apartment. It probably had something to do with the color- mature dark green -that matched her eyes. Plus, the size was bigger and warmer than others. The rest of the layout left one rather iffy.

Upon entering, the stair case is positioned right in front of you. Sakura's 'room' was little more than a small, open loft overlooking the entrance and the smoked glass window above. Her queen sized mattress (courtesy of her adoptive mother) was neatly covered with a generously stuffed, angel white eiderdown and matching pillow. An exposed stool-like nightstand stood at the very corner of the bed and faced her slide-open closet; continue straight ahead and you'll reach the bathroom. Back downstairs, there was a small walkway between the wall (adorned with a full sized mirror to make it seem larger) and the flight of steps that drifted into the 'main floor.' The hand-me-down sofa was pushed up against the right wall, across from the kitchen, and the very back was plain white with her flat screen (another one of her gifts) leaning up by a glass table. There wasn't much, but there wasn't nothing. And it was enough for her, so it sufficed.

Sakura grunted as she struggled to yank her boots, as well as her jacket, on at the same time. She continued to stuff the ends of her pajama pants into her brown, furry shoes and covered her tight black shirt with a navy coat that reached her knees. Her eyes narrowed more as she ran a hand through her disheveled hair. Stomping hurriedly up to her closet, Sakura pulled out a small jewelry box. It was a simple wooden container painted blue that held her accessories; it didn't play music, it didn't have a cute ballerina dancing at the top, and it was not left under lock and key. She hardly ever touched the thing, and you may not have noticed, but she wasn't the type who preferred looks over brains. Sakura snatched the first thing in sight - a normal, red hair tie - and jumped down the steps, skipping two at a time. She kept it in between her teeth while gathering her locks into a high ponytail, becoming more and more irritated as some managed to escape her hold. Sakura hated her hair, thinking it was much too long, and had wanted to cut it for years. But her mother obsessively adored it, and pleaded that she leave it at least at mid-back.

That hadn't worked.

So, she threatened Sakura, that if she did cut it, she would be disowned and hurled into the streets. So it's safe to say that her pink tresses were the only things keeping her alive.

And when her mom found out about her introverted-ness with others, she was in no way shy to take action. Tsunade always wanted her to be more girly. So the first thing she did was have a few of her nephews live with Sakura. She wanted her to experience real males, so she could to have grandchildren one day. Sakura wouldn't respond to that reasoning and only served to become more of a tomboy. Figuring as much, Tsunade tried a different approach, and asked every girl in her school to become acquainted towards the pinkette. But she soon found that, even with the most generous of bribes, no girl wanted to even attempt at becoming friends with Sakura. Why? Because they were jealous at how much attention guys gave her. Though the boys denied it, you could always see their gazes linger on her as she passed. Not that she could blame them; her child was gorgeous.

She sighed in exasperation. That was Tsunade for you; legendary loser until it came to her daughter. But Sakura didn't care. The woman had loved her enough to take her in, so learning to get used to her antics came naturally.

Sakura clutched the icy knob and made a sound of surprise when a lone, freezing gust, nearly knocking her off her feet. She hadn't thought it was this cold! But her cravings were getting the better of her again, and before she knew it, she was out on the terrace-like entrance, locking the door and hopping down the concrete stairs.

Sakura ducked her head down, curling her back to defend herself from the air, and slowly trudged toward the parking lot. Everything around her was covered in ice (some with a thin blanket, and others with over an inch) and the white scenery was beginning to give her goose bumps. Puffs of her breath were visible in the air and wafted upwards a little until it disappeared. Sakura shuttered; she hated winter. All her life, white was her least favorite color and during this time, when she was still in school, she'd sit in her seat and nap, not sparing the kids outside playing a glace. No one, not even she knew why it caused her such discomfort, but whatever the reason, Sakura'd decided long ago that having the smallest amount of contact with it was on of her main goals. Everything about winter unsettled her and today she was especially jumpy. It was unlucky that at the very moment she closed her eyes to keep them from drying out, her no-traction boots met with ice.

"Ah!"

Her butt collided with the frost covered ground that served to make it all the more hard… and wet.

"Shit, it's seeping through my pants. Ugh." If Sakura wasn't annoyed then, she certainly was now.

"Stupid ground, stupid ice, stupid stomach. It's all your fault I'm out here in the first place," she scolded her gut. With a huff she shoved her body to stand, and almost unwillingly tramped to her car.

"Ugh, god damn it. Keys, keys, where are my keys?" Sakura dug through her pockets furiously, muttering profanities every few seconds. When she realized they weren't on her, she slammed a fist on her hood of her 1970 Pontiac GTD. "Jesus does this suck."

Well it's pretty obvious now that Sakura isn't exactly the type to shy away from anything. In fact, in elementary all the way through middle school, she was teased of being a guy. Fortunately, she was already so mature at the time and Sakura willingly played the role of the lone kid who never took things sitting down. Anyone who dared to test her patients fell pray to her short temper, and there was nothing that stopped her when she was with a 'client'. The girls were often found covered in mud and grime, whining about their cloths while the boys ran away covered in bruises. Don't get her wrong, she would never be caught beating up a girl because she looked at her incorrectly. It's just that those kinds of stuck-up, no-it-alls really pissed her off. The only way her body was able to relief its irritation was by using the karate she picked up.

Once again, another quality unique to Sakura shows. People consider her mind to be more advanced than even a computer. She'd learned martial arts by simply watching movies and the fighters from the boxing school next door. Then, being surrounded by boys her entire life, she eventually picked up how to do household chores independently, tie ties, cook, and other things not as important. When she reached high school, Sakura found herself to be the most wanted girl on campus (on others to, but she has been trying to forget about it). She didn't (and doesn't) care about those trivial things as much as the other girls her age did; which only proceeded to anger the bimbo bitches further, and turn the guys on more. She referred to it as the 'annoyance cycle'. Every challenge and love letter that fell out of her locker only took time from her afternoon. And believe her, there were a lot.

"Ugh, shit. Where-" Sakura turned her head and caught something from the corner of her eye glint next to a light post. "Oh," she said, walking over. "Of course its here." She lifted it up by the key ring, trying to avoid as much frost as possible and ambled back to her car, wiping off the excess snow.

It was safe to say that Sakura wasn't in the brightest of moods. For one thing, freezing temperature and gray-ish white sceneries alarmed her to an extent. Two, her persistent cravings were to giving her period like cramps. And three, the start to an awful day similar to this hasn't exactly been ideal. Right now is the literal reason Sakura passed up going out. But sadly, her stomach was as stubborn as she was, and simply grew fiercer with each second. Oh yes, she was miserable.

"I'll just go to closest convenience store, grab the peanut butter, and go back home."

With a goal set and a large need to be back in her apartment, she jammed her keys into the lock, yanked open the door, and drove like mad against the damp pavement. But even with her senses on edge, the rode was hard to predict. So it technically wasn't her fault she didn't see the hazard, since it was so well blended with the ground underneath. It wasn't her fault, but..

SCREEEACH!

Sakura didn't even have time to scream when her tire slid on top of a particularly slick glaze of ice. The car began to spin out of control and her hands were unable to grip her wheel firmly enough to stop such rapid movement. But she kept persisting, fully understanding the situation she was in.

She didn't want to die.

"Huh-ah! Mmph, ah!" Her porcelain hands were surely bruised by the continuous hits from the steering wheel, and she was beginning to loose consciousness from the harsh twists.

'_With this kind of speed… it's no wonder my brain's taking a toll.' _It would be surprising to anyone that even at times of urgency, Sakura still managed to think logical.

Blurs of colors outside her window represented the few vehicles that passed, and honks seemed to last for hours. There was this growing pain in the back of Sakura's skull though she hadn't crashed yet, and an annoying buzz in her ear. She reached over to the dashboard and cling on as tightly as her body (in that state) could muster, anticipating the collision. Then everything went slow-mo. and Sakura could only hear the beating of her heart and the shallowness of her breath. She looked out again, seeing nothing but darkness envelop her. But there was this shimmer, a tiny shimmer of light that illuminated all the darkness surrounding. She should have felt relieved that it wasn't completely dark, that she was still able to see even a bit. On the contrary, she was deathly afraid. Sakura didn't want the light to come any closer, and shrank backward. She would have jumped into the back if it hadn't been for the fact that she ached everywhere. It began to near and she had to close her eyes from the radiance. She didn't know how long she was in that position, but it felt like forever, and then, her body was overwhelmed by an unbearable pain. It started from her toes and ended at a pounding finish to her head. So Sakura did the one thing she could do…

…she screamed.

"**AHHHHHHHHHH!"**

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"Auh, my head. What the hell?" Her voice came out hoarse and cracked. It burned her throat to say anything, but in a bigger fear of losing any ability to speak, she pushed the sound out. Sakura's hands felt around her, but the only thing she could make out was the annoying poking to her arms. _'Feels like hay'_ she thought. She became so curious that she forcefully pried her eyes open (with a lot of trouble) and fell into a bizarre state of shock.

"Wh-What the..?" she turned her head side to side (slowly) and gaped to the sight. At the very back, shaded part of an alley, lying on discarded straw, surrounded by stone, watching as strangers passed was her. _'Shit. What the hell happened?'_

"Uh… muh…" Sakura groaned. She was in more pain than she gave off.

She heaved herself up into a sitting position and leaned her back against the wall behind her. It was a long and agonizing procedure that would have taken anyone else hours to accomplish. Just watching her made your body twitch and jerk with soreness.

"Okay, now how did I get here?" She paused to observe the happy citizens as they walked on, talking and laughing together. But as her brain began to kick in again, she noticed the actual clothing the pedestrians wore. The women were dressed in long, fancy looking gowns, some with jewelry, and the men had on puffy white shirts and dark pants (some in tights… ew). Sakura's eyes widened in realization, "Oh my god… it's the Renaissance Era."

She was stunned still for the fallowing minutes, barely even breathing, until she reached up and slapped herself full force. "OW! God damn it. How can I not be dreaming?" And her head snapped up while her hand stopped rubbing the side of her face. "Wait, am I… dead?" Sakura went silent and shook her head vigorously, trying to get rid of such a stupid thought. "Garbage is all that's spitting out of my mouth now," she mumbled, " And I don't believe in heaven or hell, so that can't be it. What kind of screwed up situation am I in now?" She gently tapped the heel of her palm against her forehead, attempting to think of a reasonable explanation to all this crap without being labeled crazy. It was a while later that she growled in frustration at not being able to think of anything. "HOW THE HELL DID I FUCKIN' GET HERE!?" Only after the last word escaped her lips did she realize her mistake, and covered her mouth with both hands. Thankfully, the alley was far enough back that even when the walls made her cry echo, it didn't reach half the way to the street. Sakura sighed in relief; she didn't exactly like the idea of cops (or whatever they called their guards then) coming after her with weapons aiming to skin her alive. No, not the way she wanted to die.

Sakura sighed again, seems like she's been doing that a lot lately, and debated on going out, or staying hidden. "On the one hand, I can go out and hope to dear god that they don't start screaming and shooting me. On the other, I can walk in the shadows and stay safe… until I'm caught and considered a terrorist for sneaking around… such a hard decision." She looked up, expecting to see a pure white clouded firmament, but was greeted instead with a perky blue, and no, it wasn't the sky.

"Good day! Might thou be a foreigner, or has that old shandy, rogue of a tailor fellow gone and sewn thy cloths as a prank. I assure thee good lady, that shalt ne'er happen again. I oft find his immaturity quite uncomely as well. Seems like 'tis every morrow I find him doing foolish and unjustly acts. Forgive him this once and I will see to it that he be locked in the dungeons for eternity. Oh, see where my mouth hast taken me. My name be'th Naruto! Naruto Uzumaki! Might I have the pleasure of knowing thee? By thy looks it must be something exotic. Mayhap Milo? Troublestine perhaps? Humflorium? Theodor-," He looked at her face which asked, 'Are you finished?' and blushed in embarrassment, "-a? S-Sorry my good lady. I-I must be wasting thy precious hours. Sometimes I question wherefore am I a fool. Hehe, um, I apologize. Many people have tried to tell me that I was oft too chatty, and that I should calm down even a bit, but I have yet to list. Eh hehehe…" Naruto scratched the back of his head and laughed sheepishly. Sakura didn't do anything but watch as he talked nonstop. She almost didn't get a few words. But she understood it well enough to figure that this guy wasn't all that bad.

"Um, my name is Sakura… as in my hair." She answered low, still unwilling to fully believe that this world was real. That and she felt like she was talking to a five year old.

Naruto stopped in the midst of his awkwardness and stared at her in a daze. Then, recognizing his rudeness, he turned his head away from her view so she wouldn't see his beet red face. "Thou have'th a strange accent…" He still didn't glance at her.

Sakura examined him closer, and noticed little details she had overlooked, like the three whisker marks on his cheek, his pointed blond hair, and his old-time clothing. "…Am I getting that slow?" she muttered to herself. "Huh? Sorry did thou sayist something?"

She looked up from his shirt to stare deeply into his eyes. And again, he pulled away, the red tinge on his ears hinting his blush.

"Say… Naruto?" "A-Aye good lady?" Sakura stayed quiet a while thinking, _'Man this guy's get embarrassed too easily.' _"Do you happen to know what year it is?" Naruto turned back toward her, still fashioning a small flush, and asked with his eyes to the floor, "Might I ask wherefore thou ist asking?"

He wouldn't look up.

"Just wondering," was her response, gazing at the rolling clouds. That was the moment Naruto decided to look up at her again. He felt like he couldn't take in the sight fast enough. There was Sakura, in slightly torn fabric, sitting with her legs bent next to her hips, hands in between her thighs, looking up with the sun shining beautifully on her. She was the spitting image of a celestial being.

'_Belike she is an angel,' _Naruto gawked. But she looked at him far too quickly, and to have an angel look upon you is very pressuring. Naruto ducked his head down to his chest, squeezing his eyes shut in discomfiture. Sakura lifted an eyebrow. Was he sick or something?

It took a while before she got a real answer from him. Everything before were just incoherent mumbles.

"T-'Tis the age of rebirth… 1472."

Sakura blinked, mulling thing over in her head. _'Ok… so I __am__ in the Renaissance period… no big deal. Being stuck with no idea how I got here or how to get back isn't as bad as it seems. I'm hallucinating, nothing a few trips to a psychiatrist won't solve. I must have hit my head on the dash board 'is all. Yeah, now all I have to do is wake up. Wake up outer me, WAKE THE HELL UP!' _

"U-Um, good lady Sakura… wilst you be accompanying me to my residence? N-Not that thou must come! I-it just be'th that, uh, I imagine thou would want to change into normal ware… so as to not cause an uproar. My mother hath a trunk full of garments she doth not use. In faith, I am verily certain she will take a liking to thee. And she has been looking for a way to rid herself of some dresses."

Sakura watched as Naruto fidgeted beside her. It was quite funny actually. And as she kept staring she found him peeking at her face every few seconds with a hopeful look and quickly glance back down. The same process continued for the next while, until she gave up with a tired sigh. _'Well, at least it'll help me stand out less.'_

"Sure Naruto, I'd be delighted." Sakura could have sworn that his smile was hazardous. It was the brightest, warmest grin she'd ever come across, and it put her at ease more than she wanted to admit.

"Well, enow of this depressing alley, I now of a short cut that shall provide us with a cover of shadows so thou shalt haveth nay problems with the city commoners."

Sakura's eyes widened, "C-Commoners? H-Hey, aren't you one to--!?" Her sentence was lost in the air as Naruto gripped her wrist and dragged her around corners and down narrow passages. She took fleeting looks at the amazing architecture done with such simple buildings. Artistic vines and weeds sprouted through cracks in the ground and the rock walls, whether they were intended or not, it still looked wonderful. They ran in the center of a miniature and secret square flat with a beautiful stone fountain sat in the middle, water flowing in the most elegant of fashions. Down another alley, which had small, iron balconies with ropes strewn near the top. Sakura guessed they were for airing out the laundry.

Yes, she had taken but momentary glances, and she should not be able to explain things like that in detail, but you forget about her sharp mind. It was almost as if she were taking pictures with a camera. So she thanked her incredible photographic memory, because everything about this place fascinated her. Sakura decided to ask if she could go sight seeing later on with Naruto; she didn't want to get lost in this town.

Naruto began to slow down, making them both walk at an almost leisurely pace. Both were panting slightly, and he was impressed that she was able to keep up with him. _'If I had done that with any other, I wouldst have been nagged at into oblivion.' _He silently thanked god for such a perfect woman.

He turned to her and gave his goofiest grin, "This be my home." He led her through the front lawn, into the entrance hall and called, "Father, Mother, I have returned." In all that time, Sakura gawked at the enormity of his house. Just before, they had brushed through the thicket of trees and were greeted with a large, grassed covered front yard with lush bushes scattered here and there. The only thing that kept it from spreading any further (it seemed) was the brick driveway. Balanced flawlessly in the midpoint was the intimidating, yet strangely warm, caramel block mansion. It was two stories tall, but each one could easily be passed as twenty feet high, and a cute, square tower situated near the back. What Sakura loved the most though, were the old, green vines covering the majority of it. There was also a great size to the left that was attractively screened by a magnificent oak tree, under which was the inconspicuous double door entry. It was simpler than others, but it certainly wasn't plain.

Footsteps could be heard, running through corridors and toward them. They waited by the doors (or rather, Sakura waited while Naruto fumbled to take off his shoe) for the said person to arrive, but it took longer than expected. Sure they were only echoes, and the corridors were pretty big, but Sakura would imagine that at such a speed this person was traveling, they would have met them already. And even though Sakura was patient, she unconsciously put on a curious pout, straightened and crossed her arms over her chest.

Meanwhile, Naruto finally popped off his boot, slipping on a cleaner pair, and looked over to Sakura, mouth open to say something. He himself didn't remember what he was going to request, for the sight he beheld made all his thoughts fly out the window. Her face… her face was just too adorable! Naruto could feel his jaw hang down as he stared at Sakura's expression. And then, his movements acted like he was being controlled by another, like a puppet on stings. He hugged her by the shoulders, burying his nose at the crook of her neck and inhaling her intoxicating scent. It was overpowering him, and he hazily noticed how he shook with pleasure every time he breathed in her aroma. _'Sweeter than the flowers mother arranges.' _he thought.

Sakura was taken aback by his possessive nature, and after the first few seconds passed, she regained her common sense, trying to push him off. She could say this; his grip was like a vice. To her, it was a bit unsettling to know that she may well be overpowered, especially when it is a stranger she hardly knew. It was a weird prospect and caused her to wriggle all the more. But, for the oddest of reasons, Sakura felt like she could trust him. Like she was never able to with others growing up. It was as if something in the back of her mind reassured her that he wouldn't do anything, saying it was a gesture of comfort instead. And… it made her accept his embrace, though still not returning it, and hid the look of contentment she had by the cloth of his sleeve. They were both so enraptured in their own thoughts, that neither noticed the footsteps in the background cease.

"Naruto- …son?" His blue eyes opened (they were closed?) and hesitantly looked over to his dad. And when I say hesitantly, I mean Sakura shoved him off and bowed to the newly entered man.

"Hello sir, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Okay, so she normally wasn't this nice at giving her first impression, but she felt this urgency at making Naruto's dad like her. Their friendship wouldn't work if one of there parents hated them, now would it?

Yondaime stood on the other end of the hall and continued to openly stare in shock. Sakura, being courteous and aware of his higher standing, kept her head low and didn't make a move to rise. Yondaime snapped back into reality, remembering the young female next to Naruto and turned his attention to her. "Oh, um, thou may arise," he said slowly. In one graceful, fluid movement, Sakura stood proud and tall again, looking nothing less of a well mannered lady.

"Um, Father, this be a newly met friend of mine; Sakura." Naruto fidgeted by his place near the door and glanced between the two of them feeling slightly flustered. _'Sakura ist acting calmly while I stand here and toy with my fingers. I must look like a complete babbling fool.'_

His eyes unconsciously lingered on her as she waited patiently for his dad to make the first move. Yondaime took this as a large show of interest, though Sakura seemed to leave it unnoticed, and inwardly smirked. _'My son hast finally found a suitable companion hm? Well, she seems decant and not a money grubbing whore like the other princesses pining for his hand. I approve.' _"So, Naruto lad, finished slacking from your duties? Your mother ist quite concerned that thou hast been adventuring in the market place a bit too much. Maybe we should lock you up in the tower until all that paperwork is done." The slight upturn in the corner of his mouth showed he was only teasing, but by the horror struck expression Naruto reacted with, Sakura knew he bought it. "Nay, nay, th-that shalt not be necessary Father. I shall start at once. But… might Mother perhaps dress Sakura in more appropriate garments? We both feel that she would stick out more than needed if she were to stay in her current attire." Yondaime closed his eyes in way that said 'relaxed' and waved him off, looking tired and professional, "Yes, yes, of course. Now go and do your work. She'll be decent when you return. Now shoo!" Without another word, Naruto walked down a wide hallway on the left, glancing back at Sakura before he disappeared behind a corner. Sakura watched him leave, turning from her neck, and only gave her undivided attention to his father when she heard a low snicker. Seconds passed and it grew into a full and deep hilarity. This, oddly, arose two reactions from her, and she didn't know which to portray. The first was surprise, yes, that one was obvious, but the second one was fear. A man she barely knew, who is supposed to be a refined noble, was acting like her cousins during late night comedy. It was very unsettling to say the least.

Yondaime wiped the stray tears from his eyes and stood at his full height, smiling something similar to Naruto's. She could honestly say that he got his looks from his dad, but she'd yet to see his mother. As if on cue, a set of daintier footsteps sounded, a bit quicker then the last and amplified into the large room. But before Sakura could identify who it was, the rhythmic clicking abruptly stopped. She stood, confused, until a sudden squeal was heard and an unexpected weight tackled her from behind; she almost lost her balance.

"Oh, and who might this adorable young lass be? I have yet to have seen her around here. Were hast thou come from?" A melodic voice rang in Sakura's head and she found herself trying to look at the woman's face. "Come off her Kushina, you'll ware the poor girl out." A small, childish huff was accidentally blown into her ear and the person inelegantly hopped off her shoulders. "Aw Yondaime, I only wanted to welcome our new guest, what be the harm in that?" Sakura, after rubbing the somewhat bruised spot on her neck, turned and saw one of the most beautiful women she'd ever laid eyes on. Her hair was long, reaching her hips, and shined like intense flames. She was small, about the same size as Sakura, and her skin were just a few shades lighter than Naruto's. The golden under dress she wore shimmered like real bullion and over it was a silky red corset that attached to a gown-like skirt, splitting down the middle in the front. The sleeves hung ever so delicately past her fingertips, and Sakura eyed them like they were about to break. She flinched a little when Kushina lifted them and crossed her arms.

"U-Um, my name's Sakura, Sakura Haruno; nice to meet you ma'am." Never mind the fact that she stuttered, Kushina fallowed her stare to the creases on her dress and smiled fondly. "Aye, I remember when I was first introduced to the wealthy lifestyle. 'Tis taken me many moons to get used to things like this, but, as time would have it, I grew weary of checking if wrinkles were inflicted upon my doing, and returned to my true way of slouching a bit. And nothing happened. It became imprinted in my memory from that day on: these robes are not as delicate as they appear. You shalt not fret."

Sakura looked up at her, astonished. She was sure that her face remained blank, as usual, so how was she able to read her thoughts?

Kushina smiled, "Thy emotions shine through thy eyes, not thy body. A trick I hast come to pick up from staying near certain people. But enow of that my dear, we must get you out of those dreary cloths. 'Tis not healthy to roam about in torn and sullied fabric, is it?" She extended her hand, and with a bit of hesitation, Sakura took it in hers, being willingly pulled behind the eager woman.

Yondaime chuckled lowly, "Be easy on the young lass, okay dear?" Kushina looked back, but didn't slow her pace and stuck her tongue out playfully, "I swear nothing." Then she turned back and continued to tow the unsuspecting girl behind her. Something told her that this wasn't going to be good.

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Almost agonizingly sharp maneuvers through intertwining halls made Sakura want to throw up the WicDonalds burger she'd eaten as dinner the night before. Kushina was defiantly active and she assumed that, that was what Naruto inherited from her, considering his dexterity and lovable personality; his movements were identical to that of his mother's. Sakura felt her insides churn again and used her free arm to wrap it around her gut, her forgotten cravings returning. She groaned in realization…

…peanut butter wasn't invented until the nineteen-hundreds.

'_Shit.'_

The red head peeked backward, having heard the sound of frustration, and called, "Be thou alright dearest?" Sakura looked up and nodded slightly, a small smile adorning her lips. It was enough for Kushina and she answered with a smile of her own, emerald locking with emerald. Sakura had to admit, her smile wasn't as wide and cute as Yondaime's or Naruto's, but it was still warm, and without her notice, the ache in her stomach was gone.

After a long (and quite painful) journey, they stopped at a large double door entrance to the master's chambers. The mahogany contrasted wonderfully with the white walls and the molding was absolutely perfect in Sakura's eyes. Of course, that was all from her photographic memory because Kushina wouldn't pause for anything, and threw herself at an oversized closet upon their entrance. A few words were muffled by the vast amount of cloths hung and waiting. God, the look Sakura had when she noticed more doors aligning the back wall. _'Holy mother of Jesus! There should be labels on those things!'_ Her thoughts, luckily, didn't make their way to her face and she just stood there, preparing to be dolled up… though she couldn't say she enjoyed the idea.

Right when Sakura's legs were turning numb, Kushina popped her head out and let her eyes trail up and down her tiny form. She smiled, "Honey, by the time I finish with thee, thou shall be winning hearts of many men by simple glances." Sakura was only able to stare at her confident smirk in dread, what is this woman going to do to her?!

"Okay now love… thy skin is so charming and frail that it would be a sin to ignore. Now, I be guessing to dress you up in pink, but… mayhap it be too contradicting of thy other features. Hm… ah ha! Red! Red will be thy color! Aye, aye, 'twill dost thee nicely." Kushina scurried back out of the room, rummaging in the farther rear part of her wardrobe space, and pulled two beautiful, crimson gowns down from the rack. She held one in her right hand, plain but elegant, with a single black string tying crisscross from the base of her belly to below her breasts. The sleeves practically draped along her arms and hung 'till the ends of her fingertips, while the very bottom hemming of it brushed the floor ever so gently. The other was a bit more out spoken, with ruffles layering the upper portion, and formed the look of an English styled corset. The bottom was made to hug her hips (too tightly for Sakura's liking) and coated a peace of fabric one after another to make it look fluffed.

Kushina watched the pinkette scrunch her nose in displeasure at the sight of the second choice, and she had to admit, she didn't take to it all too well either. With an inward chuckle she tossed the unwanted gown on the trunk resting at the foot of her bed and shoved the other to Sakura, pushing her eagerly toward the screen in the corner of the room. "Now, now dear, to keep people waiting is a habit I insist you work on. No one likes a tardy guest." "B-But Kushina, nobody's waiting for me. I'm fine; I'm not late for anything," her voice traveled over the board.

Kushina let out a small grin, "Hm, I would not count on that love, mayhap there is someone, thou hast simply yet to noticed it."

"Hm…" was her reply, along with a rustle of cloths and a hesitant step. "Um… I'm not sure if this is okay." The older woman perked up, "Well, come out and show me then. I cannot judge it if I have not seen it with my own eyes, can I?"

Sakura paused, sighed reluctantly, and walked to stand next to the panel, right hand holding the framing just in case of a quick get-away. Kushina's eyes widened. It took a few moments to get the right words, and a few more to get them out, until her entire face lit up with a bright joy. "Oh darling, thou ist a beauty! I knew that color would suit thee, I just knew it! Oh… the look on Naruto when he sees-… oh, he shall just be delighted!" Sakura stood, confused and trying to smile, at the gushing compliments from a pretty lady like her. Of course, she wasn't exactly sure of half the things she'd spoken about, but she was somewhat sure they were good.

"Eh, um, thank you… I think." Sakura stepped to the bed post, where she had taken off her boots, and went to pull them back on. Kushina's eyes fallowed her, and her face immediately fell. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Thou shall not wear such miss-matching footings. I have plenty of shoe's I would be happy to give to you. Here." Before Sakura could even bend down to pick them up, she was dragged into the closet and through a door second to the left. Lights turned on and her jaw literally fell it the floor. Shelves were piled high with sandals, formal flats, and others she had yet to have seen. The walls, covered in a lavender-type paper, were nearly hidden by all the footwear, and, it may have been her imagination, but she could have sworn that was a chandelier. "So, which shall we have thee fashion…?" the red head professionally scanned the shelves with ease and stopped to comment on one every once and a while. "Nay, that one would clash with your red. Hm, that is fine, but to plain if you ask me…" Sakura sweat dropped as she saw Kushina examine an Indian styled shoe littered with rhinestones and glitter. There was no way she was going to where that. Without much thought, she grabbed the nearest pair to her, which happened to be black, fabric looking flats that tied with a dark ribbon to the middle of her calf. She shrugged and slipped them on, lacing them with skill she chose to ignore. Right when she was finishing the second one, Kushina looked back, mouth opened to say something, before it snapped shut and she raised her head up and down to look her over. The noble lady put the shoes she'd grabbed on a cushioned stool and quietly walked to stand in front of her guest. "Those be perfect," she said lightly. Kushina placed her hand under Sakura's chin and lifted her head up to look into her eyes. "Young lass, I want thou to be my daughter," she smiled. "Of course, I dost not force my son upon thee, but…" Kushina left her sentence hanging as she stepped outside before she could get a reaction. Sakura blinked, _'…What?'_

Her eyebrows furrowed as her lips slightly frowned, _'She wants me… to marry Naruto?'_ She tried, but Sakura wasn't able to picture a future with anyone at the moment. So, convincing herself that Kushina was overreacting do to excitement, she brushed it off and walked out the door. She found the red-headed, royal wife beaming at her, apparently waiting in the outside hallway. "Come, come my dear, the gardens are practically calling us." Not waiting for a reply, Kushina lead the way, fully expecting her to fallow, and began to hum a tune Sakura wasn't familiar with.

But… she liked it. Soft and soothing, it was calming her even now.

For some strange reason, she did recognize it; it was just buried deep inside her past. She screwed her eyes shut, attempting to recover some lost memory, but as she was slowly regaining a fuzzy recollection, a servant came running down the hall towards them, yelling incoherent sentences.

"Mistress Kushina! Mistress Kushina! You are needed in the study! Master Yondaime hast received a last minute letter from another nobleman, stating their arrival and their staying here. Please my lady, he says 'tis very urgent." The chambermaid bowed in deep respect, but did not lower her voice. Kushina immediately took on a serious air, facing toward the young girl, and said in a trained accent, "Very well, tell Yondaime I shall be but a moment." She bowed low again, mumbling a 'thank you miss' and scurried down the corridor. When they were alone, the older woman turned to Sakura and gave a sweet smile, "Well darling, I believe I must go. I allow thee to roam the palace as thy curiosity wishes and just stop and ask a servant if you become lost. 'Twould be best not stray too far and the kitchen is down the hall to the right if thy stomach becomes empty. Now if please, I must excuse myself." Kushina smiled, bent down to envelope Sakura in a gentle hug and pulled back, beaming for no reason. "And do not dare get in any trouble young missy. If I have so much as one complaint, by my faith, I shall hang thee by thy toes in the courtyard," she hardened her face, mocking an uptight mother, and then reverted back to her perky self. "Ta Cosset." Then she swiftly strode the same way her maid had, leaving Sakura to stare at her once accompanied spot. The last thing she uttered before leaving was, "Cosset?"

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The kitchen was practically empty and smelled of boiling water and exotic food. Sakura could feel her stomach rumble inside her. She'd not eaten breakfast yet and in her world it would be close to lunch time. Sakura walked in and sat down at a small counter that looked something like brown granite. "I shall not be servin' a skinny whore who only eats things that grow from cow's dung." She looked up, only a little scared when she was met with a plump woman and a stern tone. She had a long black maid's dress with an apron over it and a frown that said 'What'cho doin' here?' The name Big Mama came to mind. "Nah, trust me I'm no whore. And I love carbs; I think it has more flavor than flowers," she said that part with disgust. "If you don't think it's a bother, maybe I can have something to eat?" Sakura looked at her, begging for something edible. The woman raised and eyebrow. "What a strange foreign accent. Art thou a daughter of a noble from a distant land?" she pressed. Sakura shook her head, "No ma'am, I'm not a royal what-so-ever. This is just the way I speak." The woman smiled, amused, "Well thou hast taken my liking. What be thy name?" Sakura tilted her head to the side in a sign of a happy greeting, "Sakura Haruno. Please just call me Sakura." The older woman's smiled grew and said, "Well Sakura, my full name be Tsugata no Morè, but I find it far too long for my taste." She made a disgusted face at her own name, causing the other to giggle un-girlishly. Sakura scrunched up her face in thought and voiced her opinion out loud, "Hm, how about I call you Morè? It's much shorter, and in all honesty, it would be a great deal easier to remember." The woman chuckled, "Aye, I believe Morè is perfect."

Before they could say anything more, a growl of hunger was heard. Both ladies looked down at Sakura's stomach, and the older of the two chuckled, "I shall start making that food now." She walked behind a large wooden table and proceeded to grate a large piece of mozzarella cheese. "Will soup be acceptable?" A fast bobbing of Sakura's head showed it was perfect and she just smiled. The pinkette returned it and asked the one thing that had bugged her since Kushina left.

"Say, Miss Morè? Is there anything to do here? I mean, I wasn't exactly raised in high class all my life, so I can't help but be bored." Sakura played with the fabric of her gown and contemplated her own question. There was absolutely nothing to do! The only thought that came to mind was to stroll through the flowers, but even that would get tiring eventually. Morè placed a flour covered hand on her chin and looked up, thinking. "Might be able to go down to the rolling hills passed the trees in the backyard. I hear 'tis very comfortable and solitary; laying there is very peaceful. And thou strikes me as someone who cares for their privacy. Plus, watching the clouds doth take away time quickly. Not much else I can recommend." She went back to cooking while Sakura mulled it over. _'I guess I don't have a choice.'_

A steaming bowl of potage was placed in front of her and she inhaled the aroma thankfully before taking it in her hands and drinking it down without a spoon. Sure it was hot, but damn it, it was good! When she was finished, Sakura lowered the dish and licked any access soup from her lips. "Hey, what was that called?' She asked, not looking at Morè's surprised expression. She was far too busy searching for stray drops. The lady chief shook herself out of her astonishment and closed her mouth. This young lady was different from any other girl her age. She smiled; it was nice to have a change around here.

"I wish more people were like thee, child. All anyone cares about now is getting their daughter to marry into a wealthy family. Greedy, money grubbers, the lot of them." Sakura stopped her childish action and looked at Morè's grimacing face. She laid a hand over hers, "Morè, I'm sure they're not all bad." She glanced up, eyes softening at the girl's truthful and innocent set appearance. "I truly want to believe thee, sweetheart. Honestly. But before I can decide on anything I must see them with my own eyes. All I've witnessed, since birth, were no good, thieving whores. With the exception of the Mistress… and now a young lass named 'Sakura'. 'Tis peaceful, aye, but there aren't many out there who would pass on wedding a nobleman for money. I pray thou dost not learn that the hard way." Morè pulled her hand from under Sakura's and stood full height, "Well, I would love to keep talking, but I really must get back to work. Please visit and tell me of how thy day goes, okay child?" And she turned and walked to the stove, lighting it.

Sakura took this as a sign to leave and bowed, mumbling a thanks and headed for the backyard gardens. It was larger than she expected, stretching a bit over half a football field and it started from the side of the covered corridor she was in, held up by ivory pillars, and ended at a lining of trees near the back. It was extraordinary! She loved the way the wild flowers and beautifully trimmed shrubs framed the cobblestone pathway. Tall Pine Trees boarded the very sides and a fountain was stationed in the middle, spouting water that reflected the light like crystals. It was unreservedly perfect, but Sakura had an objective. She really wanted to go cloud watching in that place Morè had told her about. It was her favorite activity back home and better than wasting her time memorizing the halls inside the castle.

Hm, you know what, on second thought that's not a bad idea actually. Maybe she'll do that tomorrow. But as of that moment, her body was set on lying in the thick grass and studying the sky. At least it wasn't gray and dull anymore, like her city was at the instant.

Sakura hadn't seen a guard yet. That was strange; usually lookouts with weapons are posted at every crack surrounding the palace; not even a bug could get in. And when she thought about it, she couldn't recall any at the front door either. She frowned; the least they could do was be a little paranoid when it comes to their safety. Sakura would hate to find them robbed. It had happened to her mother once and she drowned herself in alcohol, cursing whoever stole their belongings to a very early and undeserved grave. Tsunade wasn't sober for weeks, and when she finally took the time to think rationally, she'd ordered Sakura to live on her own. That way, if the same thing happened twice, she wouldn't get affected.

Sakura was brought out of her daze when the sound of cobblestone beneath her shoes turned into the scuffle of grass. She looked up; trees blocked her view of anything behind and loomed at an intimidating height. She looked to the very top, happy that the leaves blocked out the sun, and pushed her way through with hands that gently held low branches for support. Before too long, hills covered in lush green was visible and lengths of lawn that brushed the heel of her foot drastically changed to swaying at her knees. Sakura habitually giggled at sensation and patted the front of her dress as a reflex from the tickles she felt through thin cloth. The wind seemed like it picked up, proven by the sight of the bending meadow, and resembled the calm spill of the ocean as it rolls on shore. Sakura smiled brightly, forgetting her troubles in an instant and strode to the middle of the field, lacing her fingers behind her and lifting her head to breath in the fresh sent. It cleansed her on the inside and all the tense muscles she gained over the short course of time were slowly unwound.

Sakura sighed in contentment, memorizing the comfort easing through her spine as the grass caressed her covered legs. It was all too peaceful, and she could have sworn she heard warning bells sound in the back of her head, but the wind cradled her body so tenderly that her mind drew a blank. Sakura held her head higher, moving it side to side blissfully, eyes closed and lips upturned. Do you remember reading of how much she detested the winter sky? Well, with this weather, it would be an understatement to say she was pleased. Unfortunately, Sakura wasn't the only one. No, she wasn't alone in the pasture either. Someone else also felt the need to be outdoors, and coincidentally, both would be meeting right… about… "AH!"

Sakura's eyes snapped open the minute her foot collided with something firmly on the ground and her mouth automatically yelped in surprise. Her hair flew around her face and the dress was tugged down by the log, (or whatever it was) preventing her to fall any farther. Sakura held her hands out hoping to cushion the blow, and was thankful to have landed on the thick grass. It absorbed the drop completely and all she was left with was a rock hard chunk of lumber lying beneath her thigh. "Ugh, god damn it. What the hell's wrong with this jackass piece of firewood?" While Sakura was saying this, the "jackass" groaned and lifted up on its elbows, causing her to fall forward more. "Fie. What be this new heavy weight on me?" It groaned and rubbed its stomach (the place were she'd landed). An annoyed tick grew on Sakura's forehead and she shoved herself up to a sitting position. "Hey retard, who the fuck are you callin' heavy!? You big shit-pile! I should just rip your ass apart! What do ya think 'bout that pretty boy!? Huh!?" Sakura flushed in anger and didn't give the poor guy a chance to react before she screamed, "MOTHER FUCKER!" After her rage died down, she turned and huffed. She didn't like the boy. At all.

The other just sat there, taking in all of her insults, and tried to make sense of them. I mean, Sakura was from the twenty-first century, and he was from ball gowns and feasts. It would be amazing if he understood half of what she said. Never the less he read her body language well enough to deem that they were not pretty words being directed his way.

"P-Pardon?" He asked, shocked. His first time being shouted at and it was by a girl with pink hair. His arms began to quiver from the lack of concentration, but he refused to move an inch, afraid it would ruin the (nonexistent) moment. Dark brown eyes scanned Sakura's back with hidden interest and when it seemed like she wasn't going to give an answer, she sighed and turned so she sat in front of the rude boy. Though still thoroughly annoyed, Sakura managed to skillfully mask her emotions with an impassive façade and introduce herself like a civilized person. "I'm Sakura. And you are?" He raised an eyebrow at her blunt preamble, but replied whole-heartedly devoid of so much as a hint of sarcasm. "Shikamaru Nara. A pleasure." Accepting it, Sakura nodded a hello and stood to leave him his privacy. It unsettled the boy for reasons even he did know. His voice acted without any consent from himself and Shikamaru found it say, "Wait," in a jerky manner. "I don't believe I have seen thee before. Dost I hold a memory blank or…?" Sakura halted, her back still fully placed in his view, and smirked. "If we had, I wouldn't have introduced myself," She spun her upper torso, looking Shikamaru in the eye, "now would I?" Her smirk grew larger and she made a move to walk again, but was stopped when she heard him rise to one knee. "Why hast thou cometh out to a place where nothing occurs? 'Tis frightfully boring and one would get sick of lying in a meadow. I be sure that thou is a very busy person-" "And if I was? You're holding me up," Sakura shot back. "Besides, it's my decision, so if I wanna waste my time, I will." Shikamaru was in too deep to end the conversation there, wracking his brain for a comeback, while on the outside he stared at Sakura dumbly. The pinkette raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms haughtily, waiting for him to say something, but when nothing apart from looks were exchanged, she gave an aggravated sigh and ducked down beside him, roughly tugging her dress neat. Shikamaru looked at her completely lost. "W-What…?" Sakura smiled at him, "Can't even form a sentence anymore Mr. Pineapple?" He looked shocked rather than insulted. She laid back to face the sky and smiled in absolute wonder. "This is the best weather I've seen in ages. The clouds have never looked more perfect." Shikamaru's eyes widened in understanding, "You… you cloud watch?" Sakura turned to him, joy still fully intact, and replied, "Why? Ya sexist now?" She smirked at his ignorance and didn't heed him afterward. How was she to know that she had just won the attention of another noble's son?

Shikamaru veered at her, unaware that inside he was rapidly growing attached. Seconds to him were hours in realty and too soon did Sakura get up to stretch. "Well, it's been fun Shika, but I gotta go. See ya," she walked the way of Naruto's castle. "Wait!" He didn't know what she'd done to him, but he was becoming desperate in making her stay. "Please… dost thou have a place to stay? I-I have space yet to be used! I would be enraptured if thou were to join me!" Sakura turned back with a look that mirrored 'huh?' "Um… that won't be necessary, thanks. I'm already kind of living at a friend of mine's." Shikamaru deflated, chest drenched in disappointment. "Swounds! He will not mind if thee hast decided to sleep'th at my home for a night." She was puzzled. Yeah okay, she did just meet Naruto, but she's just met Shikamaru to. And it would be awfully rude to ditch now, considering they had a room set up and everything. Plus she was pretty sure Naruto would want some sympathy after all that paper work. But before she could give a response, a yell interrupted their conversation.

"The lady hast said she doth not want to accompany such a lazy noble's son. Much less one who acts like a bum." Both parties glanced back to find a raging Naruto marching angrily toward them, obviously trying to keep his anger in check. "A thousand pardons, but I could have sworn thou hast fallen short of thy duties more than I," Shikamaru bit out. How dare that shrimp try to show him up in front of Sakura! "N-Naruto, how'd you find me? I thought this place was a secret." Naruto immediately softened at the sound of his angel's voice. I was the most pleasurable feeling he'd ever experienced; the way her words crawled up his spine made him want to shiver. He gave an attempt to smile brightly, but it came out drunk and hazed over. "Thou be'th not the only person to win Morè's favor," he explained smugly. Sakura wrinkled her nose in the prospect of not being able to relax quietly as she had before and stuck her tongue out in a playful manner, "Whatever, stalker." Naruto's grin spread and he chuckled at her childish behavior.

A pair of brown eyes watched the blond with a hardened glare. How did he know Sakura? And more importantly, what gave him the right to talk to her so familiarly? Well, even without an answer he surely wasn't going to let Naruto hog her attention any longer. "Ahem, I be'th terribly sorry, but Miss Sakura and I were having a discussion before you rudely interrupted. If she chooses to stay with me, it is her judgment, not yours. Would thou please quiet so that she may have a chance to actually think?" Shikamaru look dead straight into Naruto's eyes and stood his ground. Like hell he was going to just hand Sakura over.

Naruto poured his notice to his counterpart and glared with as much ferocity as the other. Shikamaru could fight all he wanted but in the end, he held the trump card. "Yes well, maybe thou hast yet to have given her a chance to talk. A person such as you probably slept the entire time and failed to have seen her until now. Sakura shall be staying at my home for the time being." Naruto inwardly smirked when he saw Shikamaru's face falter. "W-What?" Sakura winced at his dejected tone. "U-Um, I met Naruto first when I was lost in this town. He helped me and… I didn't know I'd meet anyone else. Sorry." She didn't know why she felt compelled to add the last bit, but Shikamaru's expression was so weak that it made her somehow guilty. Said boy's head launched up- close to getting whiplash -and he mentally kicked himself for making her think she was at fault. "No, no, 'tis not thy problem to fret about. I only hoped to have been able to speak with thee longer. Pardon my foolish behavior," Shikamaru bowed his head slightly, apologizing over and over in his mind. Then suddenly, which sent off warning bells in Naruto's brain, his eyes snapped open with a gleam that screamed 'idea'. "Say, what if I were to stay at Naruto's home as well?! His parents and mine know each other quite finely and there is to be a meeting soon anyway! What do you think of it, Sakura?" He looked at her like a child would, asking for candy from a parent. "Well…" she turned to the quietly seething blond, "It would be nice to have someone else I know at the mansion. Big places kinda make me uncomfortable when I'm alone and besides, I'm pretty sure I'll get lost more times than I can count." Sakura tilted her head to the side, unknowingly forcing the two to contain their heavy blushes. "Please?"

Naruto was caught between possessiveness and the wanting to give whatever his angel desired. But with such an adorable look she held, he easily caved in, repeating to himself that she wouldn't let that bastard try anything on her. Naruto strained to smile normally, "Sure… Sakura." Acting nervous and hesitant, his hand involuntarily rose to the back of his head and rubbed it sheepishly. God was he love-struck or what?

Shikamaru's eyes lit up and matched them with his trademark, lazy smirk. "Now that, that has been settled, I shall go to my home and inform my father. Excuse me." He turned around and walked in the other direction of the field. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "How… where are you…?" The brunette stopped and peered back at her, a hidden cocky expression glinted in his irises. He didn't say anything, finding it much more appropriate to show her, and pointed his thumb to a castle-like structure at the very top end of a mountain cliff. Until a few moments ago it was near inconspicuous, and it looked a bit far even though you could spot it from a distance. If you tried hard, you would be able to see everything in between Naruto's gardens and Shikamaru's home. Sakura confirmed that the field was the major divider and the few cone trees that littered the summit did well in hiding the buildings presence. Then, as it struck her, her jaw fell and hung loosely from its hinges. Only someone with high superiority and a lot of cash in the bank could stay in a place like that! Sakura mentally slapped herself for her stupidity. How did she not figure that a freakin' noble or rather, a noble's son was spending his afternoon with her, gazing at the clouds? Fuck.

Naruto let his hand falter from his head and looked at Sakura in question, "That boy hast yet to tell thee? Ha! And here I was, worrying that he caught thy interest," he turned to Shikamaru, "But it seems that thou wast only able to win over her pity by tricking her with thy slothful personality of thine." Waves of relief washed over him and he couldn't help the urge to rub it in the brunette's face. He knew Sakura better than him!

"If I be'th correct, I was the one who spent his entire afternoon with the beauty, while a poor blond haired brat was locked in and forced to catch up on the paperwork he'd yet to finish. I believe that means that am the one who I spent the most time with her." Shikamaru smirked, _'I win.'_ He watched as Naruto's smug look practically disintegrated off his face; he didn't care if it was hitting below the belt. "That… that is… I have my duty to uphold! And 'tis not like I would sneak out to-" "Naruto!" He flinched and like a horror struck victim (which he probably was) he turned his head slowly towards the new arrival, quivering body begging for mercy. Furious brown eyes stared back and promised a gross torture if he were to do anything she did not instruct, "What be thou doing here? I told thee where Sakura was to satisfy thy curiosity and get thee back to thy obligations. Skipping thy responsibility is shameful and I shall not stand here watching thee slack off. Thou ist coming with me and you shall not be permitted to leave until every last paper is filled and filed. Honestly!" Morè stomped unhappily towards Naruto and pulled his ear roughly, earning a few 'ow's in response. But before she took three steps, she turned and glared at Shikamaru. "Now thou best be leaving, or else I shall cut out thy tongue and feed it to the dogs." He jumped and in pure fright, ran the other way with his tail between his legs. Morè gave a 'humph' and looked over to Sakura with a sweet smile, "Well, enjoy the rest of thy'n evening deary." Their parting words said, she tramped back to the mansion with a teary-eyed Naruto at her finger tips, whining and saying 'I'm sorry' over and over again. When they were out of sight and she was alone in the middle of the field, one thought popped into Sakura's mind, and it was,

'_Huh?'_

**(^.^) ( ^.^ ) (^.^)**

**Hay people, it's me Izzy. You'll know it's me 'cause of that little Kirby dance at the top. Jackie will be signaled with 333333333333333333333333333333333333. So yeah I know, this chapter was kind of long and ramble-ly; totally a lack-luster bombing. Yes, I did just write twenty-one pages of nothing, and no, I can't believe we're posting this either. I mean, if I was my cousin, I'd be all 'this chapter was a huge waste! The only things that happened were when she changed her cloths- minor– when she met Naruto –major, but very badly written- and when she met Shikamaru –also major and also VERY awful. You're a horrible author and you should just crawl under a rock and die.' And then I'd throw myself off the side of the earth while I scream 'mother of mercy, pray to god I don't hit a satellite!' as I hurl through the atmosphere.**

**Man, now that I read it over, it was completely awful, and I wanna erase it all so much. But I can't, because Jackie will turn into a fire breathing dragon and bite my head off. So yeah, gotta respect her wishes and totally humiliate myself by putting this piece of trash labeled 'Izzy's Writing' on FF. Ugh, I just know we're gonna get flames in the first 15 minutes, I just know it. Man…**

**Sorry if this was terrible. I'll work harder, I promise! Just please review! I'm begging you! I don't want to feel like a loser the ****rest**** of my life! Please!**

**Well thanks, and if you've gotten this far, then you have made me so happy! Here, I give you cookies! Save them in your computer, eat them out of your hard drive, I don't care. It just makes me so happy to have people who actually read this shit. I LOVE YOU!**

**Next time, Jackie's gonna have a chance to blurb, so come back again ok!?**

**And for those of you who are just gonna put this on as a favorite story or alert, please at least send a review that says:**

'**good' or even**

'**.'**

**We like periods (the dot, not menstruation).**

**THANK YOU!**


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